


Can't Stop Us RoboDads

by justanotherpipedream, rebelmeg



Series: Rebelmeg's Tony Stark Bingo Fills 2019 [6]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Best Friends, Bot fic, Carol Danvers mentioned - Freeform, Domestic Fluff, Edwin and Ana Jarvis mentioned, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Howard and Maria Stark mentioned, James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark Friendship, James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark at MIT, Light Angst, MIT Era, MIT bros, Pepper Potts mentioned - Freeform, Proud Bot Dads
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-05-21
Packaged: 2020-02-10 16:50:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18664423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justanotherpipedream/pseuds/justanotherpipedream, https://archiveofourown.org/users/rebelmeg/pseuds/rebelmeg
Summary: The story of how a genius rich kid from New York and a poor military-bound kid from South Philly meet, get into shenanigans, birth a few bots, and forge a life-long friendship.





	1. In the Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> We'll be posting on Tuesdays and Fridays, with a note in the summary when we get to the chapters that our bingo squares are filling!

_Fall 1986_

When Jim Rhodes was shown into the dean’s office a week before his first semester of classes at MIT, he wasn’t sure what to expect. 

“It’s a great privilege and responsibility,” said the dean, “that you out of all the other students were chosen.” 

He was assured that many others would be envious to have this opportunity to prove himself, to have the connections that Jim could make because of it. Of course, that was when he was informed that his job was to be saddled with the second-year, fifteen year old genius kid of the notorious military weapons manufacturer Howard Stark. 

“He will, of course, have a security detail that will also be serving as the necessary adult supervision, but we think it would be a good opportunity for the both of you, as you are younger than the rest of the student body, to look out for each other.”

Jim thought they were probably aiming to keep all the underage under one roof, personally, but he didn’t say that.

He was wary about the offer, and had taken his sweet time thinking it over while the dean shifted uncomfortably in his seat behind the desk, running pros and cons in his head. It would be a good thing, knowing Anthony Edward Stark, if everything went well. But if it didn’t, Jim’s plans for his career in the military might well be out the window, despite the fact that he had already joined the ROTC. It was a lot of pressure to put on a seventeen year old kid that was already going to be a year younger than the rest of his peers.

Finally, after the dean had opened and shut his mouth twice, obviously extremely tense in the silence, Jim agreed. It’d be weird, maybe, rooming with a kid two years younger than him, but Jim had always gotten along pretty well with everybody. He’d give it his best shot. And besides, this way he’d have a whole room to himself in the on-campus apartment that Howard Stark had arranged for his son, and wouldn’t have to share with a roommate.

For the rest of the week, Jim had the dorm to himself, and took the time to familiarize himself with the campus and his schedule and get comfortable in his room. The kid showed up the day before classes started, accompanied by an actual butler (uniform and everything) that drove the huge black town car, with only two fancy black suitcases and a huge cardboard box of what looked like machine parts. He wasn’t what Jim had expected. From the way he dressed, in a t-shirt, jeans, trainers, and sunglasses, all up to the way he walked right up to Jim, stuck out his hand and smiled, exposing the braces on his teeth. He introduced himself as Tony.

He was skinny and dark-haired, obviously still growing into his body, and he had a few pimples here and there amongst the beginnings of facial hair. He looked so young, and Jim had a moment where he questioned his decision. This kid was… a _kid_. He had been driven to school because he wasn’t even old enough for a driver’s license, he still had zits and braces and after he took his stuff to his room, he clung to his butler, Jarvis, for a few seconds too long when it was time for him to go. Rhodey hadn't actually considered before just how young fifteen was.

After the car drove off, the kid didn’t even come back inside, just meandered off, and Jim didn’t even see him again until the next day, when he walked into the kitchen to see the kid shoveling frosted flakes into his mouth in between huge gulps of coffee, giving Jim a wave with his spoon before turning his attention back to the class schedule next to his bowl.

It could have gone worse.

* * *

The first two weeks passed like that. Jim would catch glimpses of his roommate, they’d exchange greetings and polite small talk, then go their separate ways. Jim got used to his classes, got his routine settled, and figured that the whole semester would probably pass like that. It wasn’t a bad deal, really. He barely saw Tony, he knew the guy had a very big class load, and if the guy had a tendency to stuff a truly absurd number of snacks into his bag every morning, until the fabric was stretching at the seams, it was no business of Jim’s.

The only real annoyance in Jim’s life was trying to get time in one of the robotics labs. There were several of them available to students, with plenty of space for several people in each lab, but Jim had picked out a favorite before classes had started. The problem was, someone else managed to beat him there almost every time he tried to get in, and whoever it was liked to blast rock music at a volume that would’ve been impossible to tolerate.

Jim tried going at different times of the day, before classes and even after dinner, but he didn’t have any kind of consistent success. It seemed that whoever it was hogging the lab put in some serious effort to get there before anyone else, and stay there longer than anybody else. After grumbling about it to himself, and to his Mama on the phone during their weekly Sunday phone call, Jim resigned himself to being stuck with a different lab, unless he was willing to take drastic measures.

Just as the third week of school was finishing up, Jim finally really got to know his nearly absentee roommate, and found out who it was that was using his favorite lab all the time, all on the same night.

It was a Friday, and most of the fraternities were throwing parties, which meant that a lot of the student body was out having fun. Jim jumped on the opportunity, hoping to make time in his favorite lab, willing to work late since he could sleep in the next day.

The whole complex was dark when he got there, and Jim had been grinning in triumph until he realized that there was a light on in the lab.

Heart sinking, he opened the door, hoping that it was just a mistake and someone had forgotten to turn the light off. But someone was there, over on the far end, silhouetted against the light from a single desk lamp and the sparks thrown from the welding torch in their hand.

They turned around as Jim flicked on the lights, and the welding mask was flipped up to reveal brown eyes blinking against the sudden brightness.

It was Tony, his bony shoulders bare under a black tank top, with a welding apron thrown over a pair of filthy jeans.

“Oh, hey.” Tony squinted. “Jim? Right?”

“Yeah.”

The kid looked at him for a few more seconds. “You’re my roommate, right?”

Okay, Jim wasn’t sure if he should feel offended or not. “Yeah, I am. Don’t see you much. You the one that keeps hogging this lab?”

Tony raised an eyebrow. “Is it hogging if I need it more than anyone else?”

The answer was so absurd that Jim grinned. “Now that I know it’s you hogging it, I might have to share it with you, if I can find a good pair of earplugs or something.”

Tony smirked in a way that suggested there was a joke in there somewhere, but he didn’t comment on it as he switched his welding torch on and off like he couldn’t seem to keep still, the flame extending and extinguishing over and over. “Yeah, you can hang out if you want. What are you working on?”

Jim pulled out the draft he’d been working on, showing the partially completed circuit work he was doing for a class. “This. For Henderson’s class.”

Tony’s eyes flicked across the technical sketch, taking it all in, and he nodded. “That’s good work. What are you majoring in?”

“Aerospace engineering.”

A smile lit up Tony’s face. “I almost did that too! Howard wouldn’t go for it, though, so I’m going for my doctorate in mechanical engineering first.”

It was Jim’s turn to raise an eyebrow. “Doctorate? First?” A doctorate would take years after getting a Master’s, how long was this kid planning on staying in college?

“Yeah, I’ll be done with my Bachelor’s in the spring, Master’s next year, doctorate year after. Should be doing homework right now, actually, but then I got an idea for something and had to get to work on it.”

Jim’s brain kinda… stalled at that. This kid, this skinny white kid that was barely fifteen, was going to complete a doctorate in four years? No way…

While he struggled to wrap his mind around that, Tony flicked the welding torch back on again, flipped down his helmet, and got back to work in a shower of sparks. Jim took that as a hint to let him be, and went to the other side of the room, spreading out his drafting sketch and getting to work. They spent an hour or so in silence except for the sounds of sketching, welding, tools being picked up and put down, and the crinkle of a bag of chips that Tony ate like he was starving.

Finally, Jim sat back and stretched, his back popping. He glanced over at Tony, and saw the kid working on threading all kinds of wiring up through the metal cylinder he’d welded onto a square metal base. He couldn’t help it, curiosity had him going over for a closer look, and Tony glanced up at him, looking slightly baffled that he wasn’t alone.

Jim leaned against the lab table against the wall and crossed one ankle over the other. “So… what are you working on?”

And with that single question… it was like Jim had somehow unlocked a whole other side to his roommate that he’d not seen before.

Suddenly those eyes lit up, going all Bambi-wide as he grinned. “It’s going to be a helper robot. Howard keeps saying it’s a dumb idea, but I know it’s not. It’s going to be _amazing_.”

The next twenty minutes had Tony explaining out the whole thing, from the code to the frame to the camera mounted by the gripper claw on the end, bringing out meticulously drawn drafting sketches and a notebook full of scribbled commands.

“It’ll be like having an extra hand, really, capable of doing delicate work at any angle. It’s… it’s cool, right?” Tony was looking at Jim with something fragile and expectant in his eyes.

Jim couldn’t help but be truthful. “Tony, that’s… that’s amazing!”

“Really?”

“It is! That’s like… you’re doing some really radical stuff! How did you come up with the idea?”

That sent Tony off on another ten minutes of talking, but Jim was happy to listen, contributing here and there. The distant, nearly mute roommate he’d been living with for the past three weeks was clearly some kind of a front Tony had been putting up, because this excited motormouth with welding burns in his jeans and soot smears on his face was clearly who he really was. And Jim found himself really liking this kid.

Once Tony stopped to take a breath, Jim’s eyes fell on the boombox on one of the counters, and remembered what brought him here tonight in the first place. “You listen to your music really loud.”

Tony’s grinned, not looking a bit sheepish. “Yeah. Keeps other people away, so I can have the place to myself.”

Jim grinned back. “Well, it works. How do you think with all that noise?”

Digging in his pocket with a sly smile, Tony took out a pair of earplugs, and Jim burst out laughing.

“Yeah, alright. Respect. Why weren’t you listening to it tonight?”

Tony made a face. “My batteries died and I forgot to pack new ones.”

Jim wandered around the room for a minute, fishing through the toolbox in the corner. “There should be a flashlight or something in here— aha! Here, hopefully these will match what you’ve missing.”

Tony laughed as Jim popped the flashlight batteries out and clicked them into place. “Should’ve thought of that. Genius and all that.”

Jim grinned in response as the boombox blasted back to life. Wincing a bit, he cranked the volume down until his ears stopped ringing. Tony was staring at him, apparently deep in contemplation.

“You know what?”

“What?”

“I don’t think I can call you Jim.”

“It’s… my name?”

“No, I know, but one of my dad’s friends is named Jim, and I kind of hate him. I like you though. You don’t go by like… James or Jimmy or anything, do you?”

“Only my mama calls me Jimmy, and nobody has ever called me James. That was my dad’s name.”

“Hmm.” Tony absently tapped his fingers against the screwdriver in his hand as he thought. “Maybe I’ll just call you Rhodes. Though that sorta makes it sound like I don’t like you, and you’re by far the best roommate I've ever had, lucky me.”

Jim couldn’t help but snicker at that, and it made Tony grin.

“Hey, I know! Rhodey! I’ll call you Rhodey!”

Tony was trying to sound nonchalant and confident, but Rhodey could see how he hesitated, looking hopeful. Rhodey tossed an arm around his shoulder.

“Rhodey, huh? I like it.”

Tony beamed.


	2. Like a House on Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Rhodey's friendship progresses, Thanksgiving break brings contemplation, and Tony's snack habit is probably a little out of control.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear those promised TSB squares are coming! We just mighta gotten a little excited about MIT Bros and wrote far more words than we had squares...

It was funny, in hindsight, how much the dean’s plan for the smart, dedicated, ROTC student James Rhodes to be a positive, mature influence in Tony Stark’s life backfired. 

Rhodey’s spotless school and behavioral record had been intended to help calm Tony down, get him to take college life more seriously, keep him level. Instead, they had unwittingly created a monster, and the Stark and Rhodes dynamic duo was something that professors and students alike were growing to fear and respect.

The distant politeness of the first few weeks of them being roommates was now nothing but an absurd memory. Any time Tony and Rhodey weren’t in classes, they were together, fused into a friendship that had them both thriving. Their fellow students always assumed now that if Rhodey was invited anywhere, Tony was more than likely tagging along for the ride, and vice versa.

Tony had never had a friend before, for a lot of reasons, most of which hurt. He was too loud, too cocky, too arrogant, too young. A lot of too much in one body, but Rhodey never minded. 

Rhodey'd had friends before, of course, even a best friend once or twice, but this was something different. This was— well, it was what he imagined it would be like to have a brother.

If there was one thing that set the two of them apart from each other, one big difference that wasn’t skin color or background (which they both tended to ignore), it was their families.

Tony had his mom and dad, while Rhodey had his mama and sisters and lots of extended family that lived near their home in South Philly. But that was where the similarities ended.

It didn’t take long at all for Rhodey to figure out that Tony’s relationship with his dad wasn’t a good one. Rhodey couldn’t say for sure, since he only saw Tony’s side of it, but if even half of what Tony had implied was true, Howard Stark was a pretty crappy father. The butler Rhodey had seen on the first day, Jarvis, seemed far more of a father figure to Tony than Howard was. Tony always smiled when he talked about Jarvis, and his wife Ana that worked as a housekeeper with her husband in the Stark’s mansion, and he usually smiled when he talked about his mom. He never smiled when he talked about Howard.

Rhodey, on the other hand, seemed to have a whole lot of things that Tony didn’t when it came to family. For example, he knew darn well that if he went more than a week without calling his Mama, there would be all kinds of mother hen hell to pay. So he was religious about making a phone call every Sunday, promising his Mama he was being good and studying hard and keeping safe, even telling her he missed her, because he did. 

He also had siblings that Tony didn’t have, two younger sisters that were extremely annoying, but he loved them anyway. Tony asked once what it was like, having sisters, asking if it was less lonely that way. It left an uneasy feeling in Rhodey’s stomach, something like pity, and he didn’t like it at all.

* * *

Thanksgiving break came up so fast it surprised them both. They’d been so immersed with classes and some goofing around and all but becoming a single entity rather than two separate people, that the days had passed in a blur.

“You going home for Thanksgiving, Tony?” Rhodey asked the week of the holiday, flopping back on the ugly orange couch in the living room and kicking his feet up on the arm. He was taking a break from chemistry homework, before his brain entirely dissolved into the different elements it was made of.

“Dunno.” Tony said offhandedly from the other side of their small living room, sitting in a beanbag chair and flipping through a style magazine. He’d been talking about dyeing his hair, something to piss off Howard, but Rhodey was pretty sure he wasn’t really serious about it. “They’ll let me know if they want me.”

That made Rhodey frown. “What do you do for the holidays if you don’t go home?”

Tony shrugged and tugged a marker cap off with his teeth, circling a picture of a guy that had multi-colored mohawk that stood straight up off his head at least six inches into the air. “Last year I just stayed here. Went home for Christmas Eve, but came back on the 26th. Got caught up on some work. Had the lab to myself.”

That made Rhodey feel… really sad. That wasn’t right. Tony was a just a kid, a good kid, he didn’t deserve to feel unwanted like that. Rhodey just didn’t know what to say about it.

Tony circled another hairstyle, this one a mullet, and Rhodey picked a hacky sack up off the floor and threw it at his roommate. “Don’t you dare, man. That look is awful.”

Tony glowered half-heartedly and threw the leather ball back. “It’s not fair for you to be the only one with a fun hairstyle.”

Rhodey ran a hand over his hair. He’d been growing it out since just before he came to MIT, and he now had a decent, respectable start to an afro. “Hey, this is all natural. You grow your hair out like that or dye it and go around looking like a parrot or something, I reserve the right to make fun of you.”

“That hasn’t stopped you so far.” Tony muttered, but the corners of his mouth were twitching as he said it.

* * *

Rhodey felt bad about leaving to go home a couple days later. Tony had smiled, told him to have fun, threatened to dye his hair while Rhodey was gone, but his smile hadn’t reached his eyes.

That kid had spent far too much of his life being lonely, and Rhodey hated it.

The six hour bus ride from the MIT campus in Cambridge, to the bus depot in South Philly was long and boring, but it gave Rhodey time to do some homework, and to think.  
His mama and little sisters were waiting for him at the bus depot, and Rhodey was all but mauled as soon as he got off the bus.

“You are a sight for sore eyes, Jimmy Rhodes.” Judith Rhodes said fervently, blinking quickly to hide the tears in her eyes as twelve-year-old Lisa and seven-year-old Michelle clamored for attention.

“Missed you, Mama.” Rhodey said quietly, before giving in and letting his sisters hug him half to death.

It was a strange relief being home. Everything smelled and felt and looked familiar, but it somehow felt different too. There was an easing in Rhodey’s chest when he went to bed late that night, lying in his own bed in his own room, that told him he’d been homesick. And he loved being home, having home-cooked meals and seeing his friends and neighbors, just being able to talk to his Mama and tease his sisters. But he also kind of missed being at school too. He missed the independence, and he missed Tony.

They were on their way to the bus depot that weekend so Rhodey could catch his bus back to school when he finally brought up something that had been on his mind.

“Mama?”

“Yes, son?”

“You know my roommate, Tony?”

“Not personally, but I’ve heard a lot about him. He’s my son’s new best friend.” Judith winked at him as she teased.

“He, uh, he doesn’t go home for school breaks much. His parents are out of town a lot, I guess, so he usually just stays at school.”

Judith’s face creased with a frown. “That’s a shame. Isn’t he just older than Lisa?”

“He’s fifteen.”

“That’s far too young for a boy to be on his own at that college all by himself.” She sounded disapproving. “What kind of parents does he have, that they don’t make sure he’s taken care of?”

Rhodey kept his mouth shut about that. Not that he’d ever met Howard, but from what small comments Tony made about him, Rhodey certainly didn’t like the man. 

“Does he have somewhere to go for Christmas?”

“I don’t know. Sometimes they don’t tell him if they’re gonna be home until Christmas Eve.”

Judith’s mouth pinched so much, it looked like she’d just tasted something sour. “That’s just not right. That poor boy. And just fifteen years old. What a shame.”

Rhodey unloaded his bag of clothes and his school bag at the bus depot, and let himself be kissed and hugged by his Mama and sisters even though it made him feel kind of like a dope. He was just giving his Mama one last hug when she kept an arm around him.

“You tell that friend of yours that he’s welcome to come home with you for Christmas. It’s not right for a fifteen-year-old boy to be all alone for the holidays. So if he’s got nowhere else to go, you bring him home with you, y’hear?”

Rhodey grinned and nodded, loving his mama especially hard in that moment. “Yes ma'am.”

“Now go on. Don’t wanna miss your bus. You be good and study hard. I love you, Jimmy.”

He waved out the window until the bus pulled out of the depot, then settled in for the long ride back to school, reading or idly looking out the window from time to time, but mostly thinking.

* * *

Tony wasn’t in the apartment when Rhodey got back after dark, so after he got his stuff squared away, he made several sandwiches and a pitcher of juice. He figured he knew where Tony would be.

And he was right; the rest of the labs were deserted, but theirs was alive with light and pounding music, a sure sign that Tony was there. He maneuvered his way into the lab, juggling the sandwiches and pitcher, calling out as he came through the door.

“Hey Tony, how are things going—”

Rhodey froze as he heard the crunch beneath his shoe. Carefully lifting his foot, he sighed in relief when he realized that it was just a snack wrapper that he stepped on. He glanced up only to stare in shock at the sight before him.

Tony was tinkering away, muttering to himself under his breath as he worked, entirely oblivious to Rhodey’s presence. That in itself was not unusual. What was unusual however, were the giant piles of colorful wrappers strewn about all along the floor. Small mountains of empty Coke cans were covered in crinkled chocolate and granola bar wrappers, empty potato chip bags were crumpled up and surrounded by crumbs, and the familiar smell of stale coffee told Rhodey that there had probably been far too much caffeine consumed recently.

Tony was sitting in the middle of it all, a paper cup of coffee on one side, and a half-eaten bag of chips balanced on the bench beside him as he worked.

Rhodey knew that Tony had a tendency to hyper-focus, losing track of everything but what he was working on, for hours at a time, but he hadn’t really seen Tony on a binge this long before. He felt bad all over again for leaving. Clearly the kid had been living off the snacks he stuffed into his backpack every morning, and Rhodey wondered if Tony had even eaten one real meal since he’d left.

He watched as Tony yelled in triumph and jumped up, running right past him, his eyes wild as he ran to grab another crowbar, then going right back to his bench without noticing Rhodey's presence at all.

Smiling and letting out a long-suffering sigh, Rhodey set the sandwiches down next to him. “Tony, eat.”

Patting around without looking, Tony located the stack of sandwiches and grabbed one, stuffing half of it into his mouth absentmindedly while he continued to focus on what he was doing. Rhodey rinsed out a mug of cold, stale coffee that was sitting on a work table, filled it with juice, and made sure Tony drank some of it before turning around and assessing the room for damage control.

He grabbed a broom and garbage can and got to work, and half an hour later Tony resurfaced again, crowbar in hand, running for the supply cupboard on the other end of the room. He skidded to a halt as he stared at the spotless floor, then looked around at Rhodey, clearly confused.

Rhodey just smirked. “Yes, I know it’s shocking. The floor is not actually lava.”

“You’re back!”

“And already cleaning up your messes. How are you still alive, kid? You’re a disaster.”

Tony looked a bit sheepish as he twirled the crowbar around. “I was gonna clean it—”

“Uh huh,” replied Rhodey with a fond sigh. “Just make sure to toss all your garbage in the new garbage cans I stuck in, okay? And go finish your juice and eat that last sandwich.”

Tony looked around in surprise. “You made me a sandwich?”

“You’ve already eaten two of them!”

“I did?!”

Laughing helplessly, Rhodey threw an arm around Tony’s shoulders. “You know what, I missed you.”

Tony smile was small, but genuine as he glanced up at him. “Missed you too. Thanks Rhodey.” 

“Anytime, kid.”


	3. Come Hell or High Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Rhodey have their first fight, first big misunderstanding, and Rhodey takes Tony home for the holidays.
> 
> Our first chapter that fills a TSB square! For rebelmeg, square S3 - Mutual Appreciation Society

_December 1985_

Tony honestly had no idea how the fight had started. One minute the two of them had been sitting at the kitchen table, deep into their individual studying, stressed about the end of term tests in a couple weeks, and the next minute they were yelling at each other.

"You don't even know how to take care of yourself!" Rhodey shouted, flinging his arm out to indicate their apartment. "You live off junk food and coffee, you never sleep or clean up after yourself, you pull all-nighters and party too hard and it doesn't matter that you're a genius if you can't even act like a human being!"

Tony reeled back, flinching. Tony had been called many things in his life, most of which he could shrug off with no problem. This though— no one had come close to cutting this deep, ever.

He clenched his jaw. "Well I'm sorry I didn't pop into the world completely normal like you did, it's not like I can exactly do a retake on that!”

"That's not what I meant and you know it!"

“Why do you even care about how this place looks? It’s not like you’re ever home anyway—”

Rhodey looked ready to tear his hair out. “That’s your excuse?!”

“The dishwasher is full because _I_ loaded it. Clothes are on the ground because _I_ can’t use the washing machine because _you_ told me not to ‘screw things up again’-” Tony slammed his hands down on the table and both of them watched as a can of soda spilled onto the floor.

Rhodey sucked in a deep breath, backing away from the mess.

“I am not dealing with this, with _you_ when you’re like this.” Rhodey gritted as he yanked his coat off the arm of the couch and headed for the door. “I don’t have to put up with it.”

Tony was trying to formulate a response to that, his face hot with anger and shame, but Rhodey was slamming the door behind him before he got any words out.

After a few seconds of ringing silence, all his anger and frustration drained out of him in a rush, leaving Tony feeling cold and like he needed to throw up.

Oh, damn it. He’d done it again. He’d actually thought he’d been doing better this time, actually making a real friend that he might be able to keep, and he’d ruined it again. He _always_ ruined it. This one hurt more, though. This time he'd really been hoping he wouldn't mess it up.

Heaving in a breath that ached in his lungs, Tony looked around at the apartment and clenched his teeth to keep back the tears. At least he knew how to do this part. This part he’d done plenty of times. Six roommates just last year alone before he’d given up and just lived alone with the nanny his mom insisted on, not to mention boarding school before that.  He was so very used to this part.

Going to the phone in the kitchen, he dialed the operator and asked for the number of the nearest hotel, mopping up the spilled soda as he waited.

* * *

Rhodey's jaw dropped when he walked back into the apartment a couple hours later. Everything was spotless, the place practically sparkling with how clean it was, but the most glaring difference were the two large, familiar designer suitcases sitting side by side next to the ugly orange couch.

Tony came out of his room with his backpack in his hands, zipping it up and making a move to sling it over his shoulders when he caught sight of Rhodey. He froze, those big eyes going even bigger. “Oh. Didn’t expect you to be back so soon.”

Rhodey was looking between Tony and the suitcases in confusion. “Just needed to walk a bit. Clear my head and cool off.”

Tony swallowed hard and nodded, dropping his gaze. “Right. I’ll just get out of your hair. You can keep the apartment, of course, you got here first and I can find something else.”

Rhodey was still baffled. “What are you talking about?”

Tony made a vague, helpless gesture with his hands. “I’m… moving out? It’s fine, it’s really a miracle things lasted this long, most people don’t make it a week, much less a month. You definitely win.” He leaned down to grab the handles of his luggage, but Rhodey crossed the room in quick strides and grabbed him by the shoulders.

“Tony, stop. I don’t understand. Why are you moving out?”

This close, he could see that Tony’s eyes were faintly red, and his eyelashes were clumped together like they’d been wet recently. The sinking sensation in Rhodey’s stomach that had gotten started as soon as he’d seen Tony’s luggage was just getting worse and worse.

“I thought… you’d prefer that.” Tony said haltingly. “Since I’m… you know. What you said.”

“Tony… just because we fought, doesn’t mean I want you to move out. It was just a fight. We’re both stressed out and tired and went off a little at each other. It happens. You don’t have to leave. It’s not like I hate you.”

Tony swallowed hard again, confusion all over his face. “It’s not?”

That, well… that broke Rhodey’s heart a bit. “Come here.” He pulled the kid into a hug, feeling the way he went all stiff for a few seconds, then just slumped into Rhodey’s arms and his hands came up to fist into the back of his sweatshirt.

“Tones, I don’t hate you. That’s not what that fight meant. It just meant that we were both not doing okay and taking it out on each other, which is something we shouldn't have done. You don’t have to move out. I don’t want you to move out. You’re one of the best friends I’ve ever had, and even though you’re kind of a disaster, you’re a good kid and I don’t want you to leave.”

Tony was trembling, his breath shaking in and out of him, but Rhodey didn’t call any attention to it. He knew the signs of trying to hide tears, he’d let Tony hold on to his dignity.

“Come on.” He patted Tony’s back, “Let’s go get your stuff unpacked and call it an early night. We can help each other study tomorrow after classes.”

Tony nodded as he drew back, keeping his head down and trying to be discreet about wiping under his eyes with the sleeve of his coat. “Yeah. Okay.”

“Tony?”

“Hmm?”

“Look at me for a second.”

Tony took another shaky inhale, then lifted his gaze, his eyes and nose redder than before and slightly swollen.

“You’re still my friend. You got me?”

A watery smile quivered onto his face, and he nodded. “Okay.”

Rhodey pushed the point, knowing by now how generous Tony was with himself, and how much hurt he always hid deep down where nobody could see. “I mean it.”

Tony blinked a few times, then nodded slowly. “Thanks, Rhodey.”

“You’re welcome.” Rhodey hefted one of the suitcases off the floor and gestured to Tony’s room. “C’mon. Let’s get this done.”

* * *

 Christmas break seemed to come upon them just as fast as Thanksgiving had. With classes, lab time, plus Rhodey’s ROTC training at the end of the semester, the days ran together in a blur. It wasn’t until Rhodey was pulling on his coat and getting ready to go catch the bus that he realized he hadn’t even asked what Tony was doing for their break.

“You going home for Christmas, Tony?”

Tony looked up from where he was sitting cross-legged on their couch, immersed in a textbook on differential calculus. “Home? No. They won’t be there. Going to Germany or something, I think.”

Rhodey’s hands stilled on his coat buttons. “You’re staying here?”

“Yeah. Gonna get some work done. Maybe go see a few movies.”

Tony was going to be here, all alone, for two weeks? On Christmas?

Nope. Not on his watch.

Rhodey leaned against the doorway. “Counter offer. Pack your bags, and make sure to bring a warm sweater. Come home with me for Christmas.”

Tony’s head came up, surprise clear on his face. “—what? Thanks for the offer, but—”

“Don’t argue that it’s an imposition, 'cause it isn’t. Mama’s been harping on me that I haven’t brought you over yet, so this is perfect. She’d also skin me alive if she knew I let you spend Christmas all on your own, so really, you’d be doing me a favor.

“...I guess?”

“Great! Oh, and pack a pair of stretchy pants. Maybe your MIT sweats?”

Tony was grinning now, setting aside his textbook and getting to his feet. “For the turkey?”

“For the turkey, ham, and pot roast. Trust me, pack the sweats, you’ll need them. And don’t you dare bring those stupid parachute pants.”

“Aw, Rhodey, c’mon! They’re a fashion statement!”

“Nope.”

* * *

 When Judith Rhodes got her first look at Tony Stark standing on her doorstep, half hiding behind her son, she decided that this skinny white boy with sad eyes was hers. Her boy Jimmy had told her all about him, his difficult home life, how smart he was, the way he had trouble relating to other people. And be that as it may, but what that boy clearly needed more than anything else was some loving.

He had looked absolutely shocked when Judith had given Jimmy a hug and a kiss, then reached for Tony and all but dragged him inside her house and straight into her arms for a hug.

“Tony, it’s so good to meet you. Jimmy has told me so much about you. Now let’s get you boys fed, you’re both too skinny. What are you eating at that school?”

By the end of the third day, Tony was calling her Mama Rhodes, and both Lisa and Michelle, were following after him like lovestruck puppies. Christmas felt like it always did, full of love and family, with just the littlest bit of sadness at how surprised Tony seemed to be when he was included in everything. By the end of the two weeks of their break, when the boys had to pack their bags and leave to go back to school, there wasn’t a dry eye in the Rhodes house as they said goodbye at the front door.

Tony held on to Judith for an extra long time, trying to hide the way he was trying not to cry, but she saw the sheen of tears in his eyes when he pulled back.

“Thank you.”

Those two whispered words said so much, and Judith had to swallow hard to keep from crying. She wouldn’t have believed how much she had come to care about this sassy, sweet, charming kid that had fit into her family like he’d been there all along.

“You carry that bag carefully, y’hear? I wrapped up that food as best as I could, but don’t you go slinging it around and leaking a mess all over your clean clothes.”

“I won’t, Mama Rhodes.” Tony managed a smile, even though it wobbled. “I, uh, fixed that light in the bathroom. It wasn’t hard, just a short.”

“And he fixed my talking dolly, too!” Lisa piped up from where she was wrapped around one of Jimmy’s legs, tugging on the pull-string on the back of her favorite doll so that it said _“Ma-ma!”_ in a mechanical voice.

“And my roller skates.” Michelle added, wrapped around Rhodey’s other leg despite being nearly thirteen years old, with one fist gripped tight in one of Tony’s pant legs.

Tony was blushing and ducking his eyes, but Judith just framed his face with her hands and waited until he looked up at her.

“You take care now, you hear me? You study hard and be good, don’t forget to eat, and I’ll expect you for next break if you want to come.”

Tony nodded emphatically, but couldn’t seem to speak. He gave her one more quick, hard hug, planted a kiss on Lisa and Michelle’s heads, then picked up his bags and all but ran from the house.

Jimmy’s eyes looked a little bit red when he wrapped his arms around his mama to say goodbye. “Thanks for letting me bring him.”

“I’m glad you did, son. He needed it.”

Kisses and hugs and “I love you’s” were exchanged, and Jimmy finally managed to extricate himself from his sister’s grips and get out the door a few minutes later, waving as he crossed the lawn.

Judith watched with wet eyes as Jimmy tossed his bags in the car Tony had hired to take them to the airport (he didn’t want to take the bus), then slung his arm around the other boy and turned back for another wave.

“Mama, I don’t want Jim to leave!” Lisa was crying and holding onto Judith’s skirt. “Or Tony! Why do they gotta leave?”

“They gotta get themselves a good education, baby. But don’t worry. Jimmy will still call us on Sunday, and we’ll see them in a few months for their next break.” She bent down to tug Michelle to her feet, who was also sobbing inconsolably, and tutted at them both. “C’mon now, how about we go write them both a letter. If we get it to the post office first thing tomorrow, they’ll get it by the end of the week.”

* * *

 Tony didn’t say anything until they’d boarded the plane and gotten settled in their first class seats, and he was looking out the window when he finally spoke up.

“Rhodey?”

“Yeah Tony?”

“I love your family.”

Reaching over to pat his best friend’s shoulder, Rhodey nodded. “I do too, man. And they love you.”

Tony turned back towards the window, fumbling with his seatbelt. “Really? Are you sure? Cause you know, they could’ve just been polite—”

Rhodey tapped the hand-knitted scarf around Tony’s neck. “Mama doesn’t make those for just anyone you know. Only members of the family that she likes.”

Tony looked delighted, his ears tinted a bright red. “Oh.”

The flight attendant interrupted any further conversation with some snacks, but Rhodey couldn’t help but grin as he watched Tony smile into his scarf.

Good.

Growing up with all girls, Rhodey had never had a younger brother. Thanks to Tony though, Rhodey no longer had to wonder what it would be like if he did have one.

Tony still didn’t know how to use the washing machine properly, but he had a strange ability to fall asleep anytime, anywhere. He could run laps around some of their own professors in their classes, but he also always had time to patiently answer any questions Rhodey might have. His whole family had taken a shine to Tony immediately, and Rhodey’s mama had given Tony the coveted role as the judge of the Rhodes’ family New Year’s Eve chili cook-off.

Tony was Rhodey’s brother in all the ways that mattered. And he wouldn’t trade him for the world.


	4. It's Alive!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another year in the life, and Tony makes a breakthrough with his bot.
> 
> TSB square filled for rebelmeg, A4 - robots

_February 1986_

“Oh, come on, dummy, just get it together and make it _work_.”

Rhodey popped open the container of clam chowder he’d brought back from their favorite diner, carefully holding it close to Tony’s face and letting the smell waft over. “Come on man, you gotta eat. No sense in you fainting and me dragging you to the hospital. That would push you back even further.”

Tony grumbled, but obediently set down his wrench. Annoyance quickly turned to enthusiasm, though, as Tony devoured the soup with speed. Rhodey shook his head. “Slow down or you’ll choke.”

“Mmmphs good—”

“It better be good, I walked all the way across campus for that. You’re welcome by the way.”

“Thnk you.”

“You’re welcome, you nerd,” replied Rhodey fondly. “So, how’s the ‘dummy’ coming along?”

Tony scrunched his face before waving his spoon towards the bot in the middle of the workshop. “You laugh, but just watch, I’m totally gonna name him dummy. Still nothing. The wiring’s all right, and I know that the code’s there, something’s just missing and I can’t figure out what.”

Rhodey nodded. “You’ll figure it out.”

“But what if I don’t?” whined Tony. He stared mournfully into his empty styrofoam bowl. “I’ve already signed up, I’ll be the laughingstock of the entire competition—”

“No you won’t.” Rhodey interrupted, putting a hand on his shoulder and giving him a gentle shake. “You just need a break.”

Tony rolled his eyes dramatically, and Rhodey tried not to grin. Tony often acted so mature that his young age wasn’t that obvious, but it was always hilarious to see him actually act his age.

“Come on Einstein, I’ll buy you a cheeseburger. The burger joint down the street though, I’m not walking all the way across campus again.”

Tony’s eyes lit up. “Deal.”

Faster than Rhodey had ever seen him move, Tony was already halfway out the door, shrugging on his hoodie. “I want five.”

“Urgh, teenagers.”

“Oh, please, like you're not also a teenager? Don’t complain, Honeycake. I saw you eat just as many the other day.”

"Honeycake?"

"You love me!"

* * *

_March 1986_

Finally, on a spring day only three months from the day when the Robotics Competition would be held and judged, Tony got the breakthrough he’d been working for.

“Oh my gosh… hey, Platypus, get over here! It’s working!”

“It is?!”

“Why do you sound so surprised, that’s mean.”

Rhodey tossed his tools aside and crossed the lab at a run, skidding to a halt as the robot that Tony had been working on for the better part of six months slowly raised its claw, and appeared to focus its camera on the two of them.

“Hey,” Tony’s voice was… soft, gentle, almost like the way he’d talked to Rhodey’s sisters before he got comfortable enough to start teasing them. “Hey, you big dummy. About time you join the party.”

As the bot opened and closed its claw, spun carefully on its base, and looked around at the lab, Rhodey put a hand on Tony’s shoulder.

“You did it, Tones. You really did it.”

Tony was grinning so hard his cheeks had to hurt, his eyes sparkling. “I did. Rhodey, it _works_.”

“Course it does. You’re a genius, aren’t you?”

Rhodey ruffled Tony’s hair and gave him a noogie, laughing when the kid squawked and shoved him away, still grinning. Tony immediately dove into diagnostics, running through simple commands and exercises, everything in the world fading away as he worked. And Rhodey just stood back for a few minutes, watching and smiling.

He was really, really proud.

* * *

_December 1986_

For most of December, it was up in the air whether or not Tony would be going home for Christmas break with Rhodey or not. His parents weren’t sure if they’d be taking a trip, and Rhodey finally had to head home on his own, since he didn’t want to miss time with his family.

“I’ll be on the first bus down as soon as I hear,” Tony promised him as Rhodey pulled on a hat and gloves. “I’ll call first. Probably.”

Rhodey smirked at him, one eyebrow raised. “Uh huh.”

“Shut up, I’m your favorite. Oh! Wait a sec.” Tony rummaged through his backpack for a minute, dumping out empty snack wrappers and coffee cups as he did. “I know it’s in here— ah ha!”

He pulled out a package wrapped in slightly skiwampus Christmas paper, topped with a crushed bow, and held it out to Rhodey. “Just in case I don’t make it.”

Rhodey took the present, smiling at the wrapping paper that had been taped down so thoroughly he’d probably have to cut it open to get into it. “You didn’t have to.”

“I know, but I wanted to. You’re the first friend I’ve ever had.”

Tony said it nonchalantly, but they both knew there was a lot of meaning behind those words.

“I got you something too.” Rhodey bent over his duffel bag and dug around until his hand closed over the cube-shaped package. “Don’t open it until Christmas, y’hear?”

Tony grinned, just like a kid on Christmas day, as he accepted the package. “That sounded exactly like your mom.”

Rhodey shoved at him lightly for that, then closed up his duffel and heaved it onto his shoulder. “I’ll see you soon or later. Merry Christmas if it’s later.”

Rolling his eyes, Tony gave him a hug and stepped back, opening the door and gesturing him out with a bow. “Get outta here, you sentimental dork. Merry Christmas.”

* * *

Tony didn’t end up joining the Rhodes that year for Christmas. Just as he’d been packing his bag and arranging for a truck for Dum-E (yes, he stuck with that name) to take them both to South Philly, despite any word from his parents, Jarvis had pulled up in front of his apartment. Apparently his presence was needed at a huge party his parents were throwing for half of New York’s elite, and there would be photographers there now that Tony had finally gotten his braces removed.

Dum-E didn't really seem happy about being put into hibernation mode, but Tony shoved down the guilt and stuck a Santa hat on the inactive bot before he left, making sure to leave a light on for him.  Just in case.

It was all too easy to compare a Stark family Christmas to a Rhodes family Christmas. Tony didn’t like admitting to himself which he preferred, trying to tell himself that it was fine. There was always next year.

He called Rhodey around noon on Christmas day, hoping he wasn’t disturbing any family activities, but also desperately needing to hear his friend’s voice. It was… unpleasant, to discover how much smaller he felt in the New York mansion, the place he grew up. It wasn’t home anymore.

“Hello?” A girl's voice answered the phone.

“Hi, this is Tony. Is this Lisa?”

She screamed so loud that Tony had to yank the receiver away from his ear, laughing in surprise. “TONY! JIMMY, IT’S TONY!”

Lisa chattered away animatedly while Rhodey made his way to the phone, telling Tony all about their presents and Christmas breakfast, and putting out cookies the night before (even though Michelle was the only one still young enough for all that), and Tony was grinning ear to ear by the time Rhodey wrestled the phone away from his sister.

“Go away, he’s my friend, not yours.” Tony could hear Rhodey saying, and then Lisa's voice fading away as she tattled to her mom. “Hey, Tony! Merry Christmas!”

“Merry Christmas!” Tony was already feeling better, a knot in his stomach loosening. “You open my present?”

“No, but Michelle did.”

Tony sputtered out a laugh. “What?”

“It didn’t have a name on it, so she assumed it was hers.” Rhodey lowered his voice. “It’s… it’s pretty expensive Tony.”

Tony had thought long and hard about what to get his best friend for Christmas, and finally settled on getting him a Walkman tape player and a bunch of tapes. Rhodey had commented when the school year started that he couldn’t work without music anymore after being Tony’s lab buddy the previous year, and he’d been driving his mom and sisters nuts all summer listening to the radio at all hours.

“I know, but… it’s not expensive for me. So just… don’t think about it like that, okay? Please?”

“I didn’t get you anything near this nice.”

Tony nearly jumped as he remembered the wrapped package on his lap, and he tore into it enthusiastically. A Rubik’s cube was inside, and Tony smiled wide.

“I’ve been wanting one of these!”

“I know. I almost gave it to you when we got back at school, but I made myself wait.”

Tony was already twisting and turning the cube, holding the phone against his shoulder as he did. “Well, it’s probably good that you didn’t, I’m never putting this thing down.”

Rhodey laughed softly, and the conversation turned to other things. All too soon though, Mama Rhodes was calling Rhodey to lunch, and they had to say goodbye.

“Let me know if you solve it.” Rhodey demanded, probably able to hear Tony still working on the Rubik’s cube..

“I will. Don’t listen to that Queen tape without me.”

“Yeah, yeah, fine. See you back at school. Merry Christmas, Tones.”

“Merry Christmas, Rhodey. Tell your mom hi for me.”

“I will.”

* * *

_March 1987_

“Tony, the stickers are coming off that thing.”

Tony blinked as his head came up, trying to refocus as he emerged from a complex series of equations he was writing out. “What?”

Rhodey nodded down at his hand and scooped up another spoonful of Cheerios. “You’re wearing that thing out.”

Tony looked down, as if he had no idea what he was holding. He was turning the Rubik’s cube Rhodey had given him for Christmas around and around in his left hand, thumb occasionally flicking a section around with a satisfying click. “Oh. Yeah, I keep meaning to paint them or something.”

“You’ve only had it a few months.”

“Yeah, well, I like it.” Tony defended himself, sticking his tongue out.

He did like it, a lot. He’d figured out how to solve the cube within the first two days (he’d been bored, his mom wouldn’t let him go back to school until the end of the week), and had subsequently solved it dozens of times since. Now though, he just liked to have it in his hand, something to play with while he studied. It helped him focus.

“Maybe you can get me a new one for my birthday,” he said offhandedly, finding his place again on his paper and scribbling out a few more figures. “It’s in May.”

“I know. I already got your present though.”

Tony’s head snapped up. “You did? What did you get me?”

Rhodey cocked an eyebrow at him and spooned more Cheerios into his mouth, clearly intending to keep it a secret.

“No, Rhodeeeeey,” Tony flopped dramatically on the table with his arms askew. His pencil rolled off onto the ground, and Dum-E, from his spot in the living room, perked up with great interest, watching the pencil closely. “I can’t stand secrets!”

Pointedly looking away from him, Rhodey just shoveled another bite of cereal into his mouth and put on his headphones. As the faint sounds of AC/DC came out of them, he said imperiously, “Patience is a virtue.”

He kinda figured he deserved the spitball that Tony sent right into his hair a minute later.  Being dumped out of his chair because Dum-E was trying to get the pencil out from under it, however, was probably a bit much.


	5. Food is Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes Rhodey can save his MIT bro from his own shenanigans... and sometimes he can't.
> 
> TSB square filled for Summer: K4 - I regret nothing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is mostly a plotless excuse for Meg to jam more 80's fads into the mix, so... enjoy that?

_June 1987_

Howard and Maria Stark were there for Tony’s graduation ceremony, but only long enough to see him accept his doctorate degree for mechanical engineering and pose for a few press photos. If not for the forced smile on Tony’s face and the faint lipstick print on his cheek, you almost wouldn’t have known they’d been there.

So Rhodey took it upon himself, as he’d actively been doing for two and a half years now, to fill the gap that Tony’s parents, and his father in particular, left behind.

As soon as he spotted him in the crowd, Rhodey ran over and threw his arms around Tony in the biggest bear hug he could manage, grinning as the kid squealed in surprise, the graduation cap falling off his head.

“A PhD at seventeen. That’s crazy, Tones. I’m really proud of you.”

“What are you, my father? Get off, you’re gonna wrinkle me.”

Rhodey pulled back, making sure to mess up Tony’s hair as he did, laughing when he was swatted away and smacked with the retrieved graduation cap, seeing the way that Tony couldn’t hide his smile. “We’ve got a few hours until Mama and the girls get up here for your celebration dinner. It’s your party, what do you wanna do?”

Tony put his cap back on and paused, clearly thinking while he chewed on his bottom lip. Then his whole face lit up, that mischievous sparkle in his eyes that always meant Rhodey was probably gonna regret going along with whatever came out of the kid’s mouth next.

“Car surfing.”

“What?!”

“Car surfing!”

“No.”

“Yup!” Tony spun on his heel and led the way back to their apartment. “My party, my pick! Besides, I love surfing!”

“This is not the same!”

“Sure it is! It’s got ‘surfing’ in the name! Last one there rides on the roof first!”

Rhodey briefly considered trying to put a stop to this impending disaster, but only for a second. Then he was tearing off after his roommate and best friend, putting his slightly longer legs to use so he wouldn’t be the unlucky dope that had to try to ride on the roof of a car that Tony was in control of.

* * *

“I’m sorry.”

“I know.”

“I’m really sorry.”

“Tony, I know. It’s fine.”

Tony was all but pouting from the hospital bed across from Rhodey’s, putting those Bambi eyes to good use. “I didn’t mean for you to get hurt.”

Rhodey slanted him a flat look. “I’ve got a bump on the head and a bandaid. You’re wearing a cast all the way up to your shoulder and you’re being kept overnight.”

Tony looked down at said cast, which indeed stretched all the way from his fingertips to his upper arm, bones broken in two places from being thrown off the top of the car when Rhodey had been forced to brake suddenly. “Well, I had it coming. You didn’t though. I’m sorry.”

“So help me, you say that one more time and I’ll break your other arm.”

Sticking his tongue out, Tony was clearly on the verge of firing off a sassy retort when Mama Rhodes came back into the room, Lisa and Michelle tight on her heels.

“How are we doing?” She asked briskly, setting down a sturdy paper grocery bag that had the most amazing smell coming out of it. Rhodey started salivating immediately, recognizing it. His mama’s Philly cheesesteak sandwiches. Ohhh, he’d died and gone to heaven.

“We’re fine, I promise.” Tony assured her immediately, looking guilty. “You don’t have to stay though, they got Rhodey discharged. The hotel is gonna be way nicer than hanging around here.”

“My boys are in the hospital, I’m staying right here. Never mind that they ended up here because they did something stupid.” She started taking paper-wrapped sandwiches out of the bag, passing them to Lisa and Michelle to hand out. “Here, this is going to be better than any kind of hospital food.”

Rhodey was making grabby hands at Lisa as she brought his sandwich over, bopping her nose just to annoy her as he unwrapped the savory miracle his mama had made.

Michelle had delivered Tony’s sandwich, and gotten her own, then pulled herself up on the end of Tony’s bed, swinging her feet as she clasped her hands impatiently, waiting for grace.

A short prayer later, the five of them were digging into the sandwiches Mama Rhodes had made in the boys’ apartment, groans of appreciation echoing around the room.

“Mama, these are the best sandwiches in the whole world.” Rhodey moaned around a bite, letting his eyes fall shut as he savored it.

“You talk with your mouth full again, I’ll take it away.” Mama Rhodes threatened, but Rhodey just shot her a chipmunk-cheeked grin.

Visiting hours were nearly over as they finished eating, so Lisa and Michelle gathered up the garbage from their dinner as Mama Rhodes made sure both of her boys were settled in for the night.

“I’ll be back in the morning to get you both,” She said as she straightened Rhodey’s blankets. “The nurse said you can leave then.” She didn’t mention that it was just Tony that was being kept overnight. They all knew it, and knew Rhodey was staying there on purpose so he wouldn’t be alone. His parents had been contacted about the accident, but had already been boarding a flight to Japan at the time. They wouldn't be coming.

Rhodey nodded and hugged his mama, then settled back on the somewhat uncomfortable hospital bed.

“You let the nurse know if you need any medicine?” Mama Rhodes was giving Tony the same treatment now, making sure he had enough pillows to support his broken arm, that his cup of water was within reach, that his blankets were tucked in properly.

Tony looked up at her with a practically angelic smile. “Thanks, Mama Rhodes.”

She smiled back at him, a soft expression on her face that Rhodey knew very well, an expression she wore all the time when she looked at him and his sisters. “You’re welcome, honey. I’m leaving two more sandwiches if you two get hungry later. You’re both still too skinny, I don’t even know what to do with you boys anymore. You too, Jimmy. I see you.”

Ducking his head, Rhodey grinned and nodded. “Yes, Mama.”

She took another look at Tony’s cast and Rhodey’s bandaged head, shaking her head as she left the room. “Going to put me in an early grave, I swear. Car surfing. Whoever heard of such a thing? You two should be smarter than that.”

Rhodey had to smother a laugh when Tony muttered under his breath, “I don’t know where she gets that idea.”

* * *

_May 1988_

The sound of a wrapper, a sharp crack, and a whippy sort of sound brought Rhodey’s head up from the notes he was studying, his Tony-senses sharpening immediately.

Oh no. Nope. Nooooo.

Rhodey was not dealing with this nonsense, not the week before finals.

Launching off the couch, Rhodey made a grab for the glow sticks Tony was breaking and shaking, a sure sign he was gonna head for a rave and end up in the papers.

Tony saw him coming and hugged the glow sticks to his chest, turning away. “Stay away from my party favors!”

Rhodey grabbed him by the collar of his t-shirt and tried to turn him around, grabbing for them. “Glow sticks are a sign of the kind of hijinks I don’t have time for this week, gimme.”

“You don’t have to go!” Tony was standing on his tiptoes now, shuffling backwards while he held the glow sticks over his head, his shirt collar twisted around in Rhodey’s fist. “You’re not invited anyway, you’re no fun this close to finals.”

“Anthony Edward Stark, you give me those glow sticks or I swear I’ll tell your bot you called him a mean name.”

Tony gasped in offense, spinning around and ducking under Rhodey’s arm to make a run for the kitchen. “You wouldn’t!”

Rhodey knocked a kitchen chair aside and dove after him. “I would if it kept you from spending the entire weekend drunk, high, and blowing chunks!”

“Oh, ew, that’s disgusting.”

“Yeah, especially when I gotta scrub it outta the carpet while you sleep it off. GOTCHA!” Rhodey crowed in triumph as he body-slammed Tony into the fridge and snatched the glow sticks from his hand. “I win!”

Tony wheezed and slid down to the floor. “I think you broke me, I’m suing you for bodily harm.”

“Dare ya.” Jamming the glow sticks into his back pocket, Rhodey grabbed Tony’s arm and hauled him to his feet. “C’mon, I have a 70% success rate at keeping you from parties if I can get you into a food coma first.”

“What?! You’ve been using food to keep me from partying?! How long has this treachery been going on?”

Rhodey threw Tony’s shoes at him and shoved him out the door, making sure he had his wallet. “Long enough that the Chinese restaurant knows our names and you actually put on enough weight to slightly appease my mother. Let’s go, hop to it. I’m starving anyway.”


	6. U, Me, and Dum-E

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> College pranks, a bittersweet goodbye, and ALL THE METAL CHILDREN!
> 
> For Summer, TSB square filled: T2 - image of Tony and Rhodey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We know, we know, Butterfingers is just a nickname for Dum-E and she's not a separate bot. BUT the more the merrier, and our boys deserved a sister!

_ April 1989 _

If Rhodey had known that all it took make Tony speechless was to slide his plan for his senior year prank across the table, well, he would’ve done it much sooner.

And prepped his Polaroid camera. Dazed and confused was not a look Tony wore often. 

It didn’t take long for him to shake it off though. Five minutes later and Tony was flipping through Rhodey’s blueprints and charts with glee, circling and highlighting as he flipped through. “Ooh! Disassembling the car and then reassembling it in a place they can’t move it shouldn’t be a problem if it’s the two of us, but it’ll still take time-- we’re gonna need help.”

Rhodey raised an eyebrow. “But I thought you said that you could do that in your sleep—”

Tony tapped the blueprints. “I mean sure, we could go through the labs in the back here, but even then, that only leaves us with one exit. If we  _ really _ want to improve our chances, we’re gonna need to prep some things—”

As the stack of papers grew thicker with more and more plans and sketches, Rhodey began to grow nervous. There were a lot of parts of the plan that relied on luck and not getting caught. “Maybe we should think of something else—”

Tony’s head popped up. “What? Why? It’s amazing Rhodey! You already put so much work into it and look, if we time things right—”

Rhodey shook his head. “If they catch us, they’ll throw me out.”

“They won’t catch us! And if they do, I’ll tell them it was all me, and you came along to try and talk me out of it. They can’t throw me out, not with how much money my dad is pouring into this place. I’ll take the rap for it if anything goes wrong, don’t worry. I’ve got your back.”

Rhodey paused, looking at Tony closely. “Why would you do that for me, Tones?”

Tony glanced over, but then did a double-take at the look on Rhodey’s face. “Because you’re my best friend. My brother, really.” Tony ducked his gaze at that point, but Rhodey heard what he wasn’t saying loud and clear anyway.

He squeezed Tony’s shoulder. “That works both ways you know. I don’t want you to get caught either.”

“Then we won’t!” said Tony with a confident nod. “We’ll just have to recruit more people. Carol still owes you a favor doesn’t she?”

“Uh, yeah?”

Tony grinned. “Here’s what we’re gonna do…”

(They didn't get caught.)

* * *

_ June 1989 _

Tony had known it was gonna happen. Rhodey had been in the ROTC right from the beginning, pledging his years of service in exchange for the cost of schooling. The next step in his plan had always been to join Air Force, just as soon as he’d earned his Masters degree from MIT. Which he had done, with honors, exactly two weeks ago.

That didn’t mean Tony had to be happy about it, and he wasn’t. But Rhodey had expected no less.

“Do you really have to go?” Tony complained as Rhodey pulled him into a hug. They were in Tony's makeshift lab in the basement of a luxury apartment complex he was living in, just a few blocks from SI Headquarters. “You can still back out now—  you know DUM-E’s gonna be mad when you’re gone all these months. He’ll probably sulk the entire time you’re gone! You know, it’s a lot harder to co-parent a bot when you’re in the middle of a war-zone. I can still find a way to hack the system, change your papers for you if you’d like—  _ oof _ .”

Rhodey tightened his arms around Tony, hiding his sad smile. He’d known, as soon as Tony had earned his doctorate in mechanical engineering three years ago and then signed right back up again to get a Bachelor’s in physics, that this separation was going to hurt. Tony could have gone anywhere, he’d had universities from all over the world trying to court the genius son of Howard Stark to come to their schools. Berkeley had been particularly aggressive, sending reps out on a regular basis to woo Tony over, but Tony had stayed at MIT. Because that was where Rhodey was, working on his Masters. 

Now though… they were both gonna be on their own. Rhodey was headed off to Basic Training, and Tony was taking the summer off to “find himself” before he started the fall semester at Berkeley to earn a Bachelor’s in chemistry, and begin working in the SI R&D Department. Rhodey was excited, he was. It was just a lot more bittersweet than he thought it might be.

“I’ll miss you too, you dork. And you know the Air Force means too much to me to do that. I’ll write as often as I can, and I’ll call you when I get a chance.”

Rhodey could feel Tony slump in his arms. “Yeah, but it was worth a shot.”

Rhodey stepped back, but kept his arms on Tony’s shoulders. “Make sure to remember to eat a vegetable at least once a week. Don’t burn anything down while I’m gone.”

Tony managed a half smile. “No promises.”

Rhodey chuckled and looked over his shoulder. “Don’t worry, I commissioned some help.”

DUM-E beeped excitedly from his corner of the cluttered, half-unpacked basement, waving his fire extinguisher with glee. Tony and Rhodey winced as they watched a toolbox crash to the ground in DUM-E’s excitement. Rhodey walked over to the bot, waiting until the small camera lens focused on him.

“You take care of Tony, y’hear?”

Tony mumbled something that sounded like, “Just like your mom,” as DUM-E beeped in response, dropping the fire extinguisher to gently nudge Rhodey with his claw. Rhodey grinned. “I know it’s a big job, Tony’s a handful even on his good days—”

“I resent that.”

“—so I got you some help.”

Rhodey flicked the switch on the wall to open the garage door on the other side of the basement, grinning as his surprise was revealed, tucked next to the muscle car Tony was restoring. DUM-E beeped in excitement at the sight of the other bot, nearly identical to himself, and took off to meet him. The two of them bumped their chassis together before circling around each other, making all kinds of beeps and whistles. On Rhodey’s other side, Tony gasped. 

“You made him a brother?”

“Of course,” replied Rhodey, “I didn’t want DUM-E to get too lonely with me gone.”  He tossed an arm over Tony’s shoulder. “Besides, someone has to help DUM-E to keep an eye on you.” 

Tony huffed but it was clear that he couldn’t stop smiling, his eyes tearing up as he watched the two bots chirp and poke at each other with their claws. “I guess I can keep an eye on them for you. Make sure they don’t destroy the building together.”

Rhodey squeezed Tony’s shoulder. “Good.”

* * *

_ Spring 1998 _

Rhodey was visiting Tony while on leave at his halfway-constructed cliff-side mansion in Malibu when the dangerous words were uttered.

“So, I’ve been thinking,”

Rhodey rolled his eyes as he let U poke and prod at him, chirping happily when Rhodey started petting the metal strut. “Oh, here we go.”

Tony faux-threw his newest, yet still well-worn Rubik’s cube at Rhodey while sticking his tongue out. “I am a  _ genius _ , you shut your lying mouth, Rhodey-o.”

“Doesn’t stop you from having dumb ideas too, and they all seem to start with ‘So, I’ve been thinking,’”

“Dum-E, throw my Tamagotchi at him.”

Dum-E, who had the tiny electronic device dangling from his claw, looked up with a definite air of excitement.

“No, you don’t throw those, what kind of parent are you?!” Rhodey yelped in protest.

“The kind that killed his Tamagotchi within the first twelve hours, Pepper was disgusted. Throw it, Dum-E!”

The Tamagotchi ended up on the other side of the mostly empty garage, careening wildly off course, and Dum-E made a sad noise as his claw drooped.

“Don’t worry Dum-E, you’re getting better!” Tony encouraged as he balled up a piece of paper (probably one he was supposed to sign), and rolled it across the floor to the bot. “Try again!”

“Okay, how about we stop throwing things, you’re teaching your metal child a bad thing.”

“Speaking of metal children, thank you for that segue, what do you think about another one?”

Rhodey’s interest sharpened. “Another bot?”

“Yep.”

“Like these two, or something new?”

“Like these two. You can’t improve on this kind of imperfection, come on. And three hands are better than two, right?”

* * *

_ Fall 1998 _

Rhodey checked his email as soon as he got back to his barracks after a long flight mission, his eyes quickly scanning the list of messages only to pause when he saw one from Tony.

The subject line said  _ Congratulations, it’s a girl. _

Rhodey fumbled with his headphones, pulling up the video attachment. DUM-E and U filled the frame, both wearing party hats. Tony’s voice echoed from behind the camera. 

“Hey there, Robo-Dad Two, you ready for this? Presenting, your new daughter…”

DUM-E and U beeped at the camera excitedly, smaller ribbon streamers in their claws waving as they glided to the side. A third bot, slightly smaller than DUM-E and U beeped at the camera, waving their claw back and forth. 

“Butterfingers!”

A large CONGRATULATIONS banner unrolled itself in the back as Butterfingers beeped, her claw reaching for the phone. Tony quickly stepped back, turning the camera towards himself. “I’ll send more pictures later! Probably once they’ve settled down a bit. Stay safe Platypus, and call us when you can!”

Rhodey laughed. He wished that he could call right now, but looking at the time, he was hoping that Tony was actually sleeping for once at a reasonable hour. He typed out a text message instead.

_ Another metal child huh? Congratulations, Iron Dad. I can’t wait to meet her.  _


	7. I'm Always Gonna Be Here For You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> JARVIS is born, Afghanistan happens, and Rhodey reminds Tony of what he needs to hear.
> 
> For TSB, square filled for Summer: A1 - image of JARVIS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND THAT'S A WRAP, FOLKS!!! We hope you've enjoyed our Tony and Rhodey MIT Bros origin story! We had a lot of fun working on it together and bringing it to life!

_ June 2004 _

Rhodey pulled his phone out of his pocket when he got the text message, just as he shut the front door of Tony’s Malibu mansion behind him.

_ Honeybear, that you? _

He typed a reply back.  _ Yup. Workshop? _

_ Get down here, this is awesome. _

Oh, great. Those were words Rhodey had learned to fear and respect in equal measures. He made his way to the living room and down the curving stairs behind the two-story water feature, entering his code at the workshop door.

Tony pointed at Rhodey the second he came into view from behind his setup of computers, the glare on his face vaguely threatening despite the fact that it had clearly been at least a day and a half since he’d slept. “Don’t say it.”

“Say what? I wasn’t even talking.”

“You’re making that face.”

“What face?”

“The one that says  _ don’t be stupid, Tony _ . It’s the same as your  _ don’t try and crowd surf even though it’ll be totally awesome, Tony— _ ”

“Friends don’t let friends crowd surf when they’re totally smashed—”

“Okay fine. But this time, I promise this will change everything— Rhodey, stop making rude gestures at me with your face.”

“That’s what you said last time. You know, before you ignored me, and dove face-first into the crowd anyways—”

“Rhodeeeey,”

"Two black eyes and a fractured nose, that's all I'm saying."

"Rhoooodeeeeeey,"

Rhodey rolled his eyes, but settled down on the stool beside the pouting Tony. The guy's hair was sticking up in all directions, and his glassy-eyed stare was one that Rhodey was all too familiar with. The makeshift cot in the corner of Tony’s workshop looked like it was slept in recently at least, a step up from his college all-nighters.

“Okay fine. I’ll bite. What do you got?”

Tony tapped at the middle screen. Rhodey squinted. “Wait— isn’t this the same project you started right before we graduated?”

Tony grinned. “You recognize it! Howard said it was a waste of time, but look, almost twenty years later and boom! Say hello to Just A Rather Very Intelligent System.”

“That name sucks.”

“Shut up and mind your manners, I didn’t get a degree in Naming Things and they never covered that in the poetry class they forced me to take.”

Rhodey was going to respond, but then his mind whirled as the familiar crisp tones of Edwin Jarvis responded through the crackling speakers. “Hello Colonel Rhodes.”

His jaw dropped. “Tony— this is amazing—  _ incredible _ . You did it! He sounds just like Jarvis.”

“Jarvis— the real Jarvis thinks so too! I must’ve gotten him to record hundreds of phrases, but it was worth it! Now, don’t be rude, say hi back.”

“Oh right, sorry— hi JARVIS, it’s nice to meet you.” 

“Likewise. It is a pleasure to meet you as well. Sir speaks very highly of you.”

“Awww, you big softie.” Rhodey grinned and pulled Tony into a big hug, squeezing tightly as he squirmed. “You did it. You really did it. Congrats man.”

Tony finally hugged him back, vibrating with excitement. “This is only the tip of the iceberg. Look, I’ll show you—”

* * *

_ March 2009 _

“JARVIS, buddy—”

“Yes, Colonel Rhodes?”

“We’re going out again in a few hours. I just wanted to check in with you and the bots. How are they doing?”

Rhodey could imagine JARVIS checking the camera feeds, scanning the workshop for movement. “Dum-E has taken it upon himself to clean the workshop with U and Butterfingers.”

“...clean?”

“Indeed. Dum-E has grabbed ahold of the broom while U and Butterfingers are cleaning the tables.”

“So knocking everything onto the ground while Dum-E chases them around.”

“It’s a good distraction for them. U and Butterfingers have stopped asking me every hour for a status report. Dum-E knew that the bots needed to feel useful.” 

Rhodey let out a long sigh. “That’s good at least. Take care of them JARVIS. I’ll bring our boy home if it's the last thing I do.”

“Of course, Colonel. There is no one else we trust more.”

* * *

_ May 2009 _

“I’m  _ fine _ Rhodey— yes, it was entirely necessary for me to skip the hospital. It was an emergency. What emergency— the emergency was that I haven’t had a cheeseburger in months, Rhodey,  _ months _ !”

Tony pulled the phone away from his ear, wincing at the high volumes of Rhodey’s yells. “Okay, okay fine, I know I could’ve sent Happy to get me cheeseburgers—”

Tony winced as he carefully walked down the stairs, tucking the phone against his shoulder so he could wave his good hand at the camera in the corner. JARVIS had already lit the hallway in front of him. “—but honestly, there’s no point to me twiddling my thumbs in some highly insecure hospital when I can heal perfectly fine at home—”

Incessant beeping drowned out Rhodey’s next words as the bots zoomed down the hallway. Dum-E, U, and Butterfingers doing the equivalent of bot screaming as they lumbered towards him, waving their claws at him. Tony braced himself for impact, but was surprised when Dum-E screeched to a stop, a couple meters in front of him, the other two following suit. They waved their claws at him, all of them beeping and shrieking at him at once.

Tony stared. “Uh, JARVIS?”

JARVIS’ familiar British lilt echoed through the speakers above him. “They’ve missed you, sir. They were very concerned the entire time you were gone.”

Tony sucked in a harsh breath. With him and Rhodey both gone and Pepper busy with SI, of course no one had been down to see the bots. How long had they been down here by themselves, worrying themselves sick, with only JARVIS to keep an eye on them?

Tony stepped forward, the hand not in a sling raised. He was a little hurt when they reeled back, but was mostly confused at their frantic beeping. He jumped slightly when he realized that Rhodey was still on the line.

_ “I told them about your injuries.” _

JARVIS added, “As a result, Dum-E has made it clear to U and Butterfingers that you required recharging, and that they needed to be extra careful not to break you.”

A warmth settled in his chest as Tony blinked away the tears. “I missed you all too. It’s okay— just don’t move, alright?”

Carefully, Tony wrapped his good arm around each of the bots in turn, as they froze perfectly still. Stepping back, Tony pressed the phone to his ear once again. “Thanks for keeping them updated.”

_ “Of course, Tones. We’re a team remember? Don’t think that you’ve distracted me though— hold tight, I'll be back there in a few hours. Should have figured it wasn't a good idea to leave until I'd made sure you got checked out. My mama ever finds out, she'll kill me.” _

"She wouldn't dare.  Travel safe, platypus." Tony hung up, then wiped at his face as he smiled at the camera. “Thanks for taking care of them all, J.”

“It was my pleasure. Welcome home, sir.”

“It’s good to be back.”

* * *

_ June 2010 _

It was late at night, the Malibu mansion was a mess of half-finished construction projects in the midst of fixing the damage that had been done to it over the last few days. Pepper was asleep in Tony’s suite, all the lights on the property were out, and Tony and Rhodey were lying flat on their backs in the kitchen they’d co-destroyed during Tony’s birthday party a couple days before. Their hands were clasped behind their heads and they looked up at the stars through the hole in the ceiling.

“Hey, Tony?”

“Yeah, Rhodey?”

“You remember that time at MIT, when I was gone over a long weekend doing some ROTC thing, and when I came back you had partied so hard you were drunk, dehydrated, hadn’t eaten in three days, and had a black eye and a cracked rib because you’d picked a fight with some upperclassmen?

“I thought we’d agreed that I was totally set up for that fight.”

Rhodey glanced over at him. “You remember what I told you?”

Tony turned his head to look at him. “You told me a lot of things. Used some pretty creative words that your mom definitely wouldn’t approve of.”

Rhodey pursed his lips a little, but didn’t really hold onto his attempt at annoyance when Tony laughed quietly. “I told you then, and I’m telling you now. I’m always gonna be here for you, my brother.” He worked his hand out from under his head and held it up.

Tony met his eyes again and smiled, the laugh lines around his eyes deepening as clasped the offered hand in his own. “I know. And I’m never gonna be as good at it as you are, but same here.”

Nodding with satisfaction, the two of them tucked their hands back under their heads, and looked back up at the stars.

“You wanna know one big difference between now and MIT?”

“Mm?”

“I don’t know if I’m gonna be able to get up off this floor. My butt is totally numb. When did we get old?”

Their laughter echoed through the empty, half-destroyed kitchen, and under the supervision of a watchful AI, and the consistent presence of three dedicated helper bots, time rolled on.


End file.
